FR2823201A1 - INSTALLATION OF A COMPOSTING TOILET CABINET USING LOMBRICS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a composting toilet installation comprising: a toilet seat (2) placed above a gravity discharge opening (3), means (8) for receiving liquid effluents, faeces and other waste, means for recovering (9) liquid effluents, means for moving (10) faeces and other waste, from the reception area to a storage area (17), characterized in that it comprises in the storage area (17): a composting medium (21) consisting in particular of faeces and other waste brought in by the means of movement, containing earthworms of a variety suitable for the transformation of faeces and other waste into compost, humidification means intended to keep the composting medium moist, other than by supplying urine.

Description

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 The present invention relates to the general technical field of devices for sanitation, evacuation and transformation of faecal matter and human urine.

 The object of the invention relates, more particularly, to the category of composting dry toilets, using earthworms.

 Apart from solutions of electric combustion or chemical degradation, it is known in the state of the art, various types of composting toilets. It is known, for example from US Pat. No. 4,254,515, a device comprising a toilet seat placed above a gravity outlet opening leading to a means for collecting liquid effluents and solid waste, such as feces and toilet paper. The collection means is constituted by an endless band arranged to confine a part of the liquid effluents. The strip is adapted to ensure separation of solid waste and excess liquid effluents which are recovered in an appropriate treatment station. The endless belt is controlled to move to ensure the transfer of solid waste to a treatment station delivering a treatment product intended to be mixed with solid waste in a storage tank maintained at a given temperature.

 The treatment proposed for faeces requires the addition of a treatment auxiliary product leading to a final product having a relatively large volume and weight compared to the solid waste to be treated.

 Another composting technique, notably used in the treatment of sewage sludge, consists in using earthworms of a suitable variety as an aerating agent for the mass to be transformed into compost. The activity of microorganisms fixed in the digestive tract of earthworms makes it possible to accelerate the transformation of sludge into compost.

 Adapting this technique to compost toilets poses various problems. First of all, it was found that earthworms were sensitive to certain substances contained in ureas and in particular to ammonia resulting from the transformation of urea. In addition, earthworms only survive in a humid environment.

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 The object of the invention therefore aims to remedy these problems by proposing a toilet cabinet device suitable for the use of earthworms for the transformation of faeces.

- un siège de toilettes placé au dessus d'une ouverture d'évacuation gravitaire, - un moyen de réception des effluents liquides, des matières fécales et autres déchets, placé sous l'ouverture d'évacuation, permettant de séparer les effluents liquides, des matières fécales et autres déchets,

- un moyen de récupération des effluents liquides, - un moyen de déplacement des matières fécales et autres déchets, de la zone de réception située sous l'ouverture d'évacuation vers une zone de stockage, actionné par un moyen de commande. To achieve the above objectives, the installation of a toilet cabinet according to the invention comprises:

- a toilet seat placed above a gravity drainage opening, - a means for receiving liquid effluents, faeces and other waste, placed under the drainage opening, making it possible to separate the liquid effluents, faeces and other waste,

- a means of recovering liquid effluents, - a means of moving faeces and other waste, from the reception zone located under the discharge opening to a storage zone, actuated by a control means.

 According to the invention, the bathroom installation is characterized in that it comprises in the storage area: - a composting medium consisting in particular of faeces and other waste brought in by the means of movement, containing earthworms of '' a variety suitable for transforming faeces and other waste into compost, - humidification means intended to keep the composting medium moist, other than by supplying urine.

 Various other characteristics will emerge from the description given below with reference to the appended drawings which show, by way of nonlimiting examples, embodiments and implementation of the subject of the invention.

 Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an exemplary embodiment of a bathroom cabinet installation according to the invention.

 Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the displacement means.

 Fig. 3 is a detail view in section of another alternative embodiment of the displacement means according to the invention.

 Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment further comprising a spreading means.

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Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment comprising means for regulating the rainwater.

 As shown more precisely in FIG. 1, the toilet cabinet installation 1 according to the invention comprises a seat 2 delimiting a gravity discharge opening 3 for, on the one hand, liquid effluents 4, such as urine and, on the other hand, faeces 5 and other waste 6, mainly consisting of toilet paper, but also cigarette butts or sanitary napkins.

 The gravity discharge opening 3 can for example extend into a down-pipe 7, quasi-cylindrical and of large diameter, for example from 20 to 30 cm.

 The discharge opening 3 is placed directly above a means 8 for receiving liquid effluents 4, faeces 5 and other waste 6. In the embodiment presented in FIG. 1, the receiving means 8 is constituted by an inclined surface 8a, arranged to ensure complete gravity separation between, on the one hand, the liquid effluents 4 and, on the other hand faeces 5 and other waste 6.

The receiving surface is inclined at an angle a between a value of a few degrees to a few tens of degrees and, preferably, between 5 and 30. The inclined surface thus ensures a separation of the liquid effluents 4 which flow from the reception zone situated under the discharge opening 3 towards the lower end of the inclined surface, to then fall by gravity into a recovery tank 9 placed substantially below the lower end of the inclined surface 8a.

 According to another embodiment, the receiving means 8 can consist of a horizontal surface provided with passages such as for example a fine grid, allowing the liquid effluents 4 to filter, while retaining the faeces 5 and other waste 6.

mouvement de rotation pour assurer le déplacement du tapis roulant dans un sens f, dirigé vers le haut ou le sommet du tapis lofa. Le tapis roulant lOa est déplacé à In the embodiment illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inclined surface 8a constitutes a part of a means 10 for movement produced by a lofa conveyor belt. The treadmill is formed from an endless belt mounted between two rollers 11 and 12. One of the rollers is intended to be driven by a

rotational movement to ensure the movement of the treadmill in a direction f, directed upwards or at the top of the lofa treadmill. The treadmill 10a is moved to

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 using a control means 13, such as a mechanical control actuated by a pedal after each use of the toilet.

 According to a first alternative embodiment, the control means 13 is designed to ensure a so-called rapid advance of the carpet 10a, so that the faeces 5 and the other waste 6 are not humidified by the liquid effluents 4 coming from the following users . For example, the treadmill 10a is moved after each use, by a sufficient distance to place the faeces and other waste already collected, outside of the base of the opening 3.

According to this variant, the faeces and other waste arrive at the top of the carpet after a few uses, for example, of the order of 4 to 6.

 According to a second alternative embodiment, the control means 13 is adapted to ensure a so-called slow advance of the lofa mat. According to this alternative embodiment, the advance of the carpet 10a is such that the faeces 5 and other waste 6 can be rewetted by the liquid effluents 4 subsequently coming from the opening 3 and coming from the following users. This makes it possible to avoid the risk of fire, in particular in the case where a cigarette which is still lit is thrown into the evacuation opening 3. For example, toilet paper and faeces arrive at the top of the carpet after a few dozens of uses.

 According to an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the treadmill is provided with anti-overflow edges 14 to avoid lateral flow of liquid effluents. According to a variant not shown, these edges can also rub on vertical fixed flaps, integral with a tunnel located before the discharge opening 3 and coming to "cover" the conveyor belt, so as to contain the splashes of liquid effluents .

 The treadmill 10a may include, in the lower part of its upper end 18, a squeegee 15 as illustrated in FIG. 2. This squeegee 15, located on the trajectory of the carpet, makes it possible to remove the faeces and other waste stuck to the carpet and thus to roughly clean the carpet.

 Fixed baffles 16 located in the upper part of the end of the treadmill 10a, under which the treadmill 10a runs, can also be provided. These baffles 16 make it possible to stop the faeces which would roll or slide on the carpet, downwards, while letting the liquid effluents pass laterally. A

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 once stopped by these baffles 16, the faeces stick to each other, then are moved upward by the treadmill.

 After each use of the toilet, the treadmill 10a is moved by the control means 13 in the direction of the arrow fi, thus ensuring the transport of faeces and other waste to the top or the top of the mat.

When they reach the upper end of the carpet, the faeces and other waste are discharged in a gravitational manner, either directly to a storage area 17, or onto another means of movement 10b located substantially at the base of the high end of the treadmill 10a, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

 According to the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this second so-called complementary displacement means consists of a scraper chain 10b circulating and resting on an inclined surface, for example in the form of a metal plate 19. The fixed surface 19 could also be horizontal. The scraper chain 10b comprises a series of scraper elements 20 each carried at each end, by two endless chains mounted between two rollers and moved in rotation. These scraper elements 20 can be tubes of small cross section as shown or else of another suitable shape such as small flat scrapers. The faeces and other waste brought in by the conveyor belt 10a fall out of the latter onto the plate 19.

 The chains are intended to be driven in a rotational movement to ensure the movement of the scraper elements 20 in a direction f2 directed upwards or at the top of the plate 19. The scraper chain 10b is moved using the means of control 13, via a suitable transmission, well known to those skilled in the art.

 Thus the faeces and other waste are pushed, by the scraper elements, to the upper end of the metal plate 19, from which they fall in a gravitational manner to form in the storage area 17, a composting medium 21. This composting medium 21 contains earthworms 22 of a variety suitable for transforming faeces and other waste into compost, such as, for example, earthworms aesenlafetida.

 The composting medium 21 therefore consists of faeces 5 and other waste 6 recently brought in by the displacement means 10b, by earthworms 22, by materials undergoing transformation 5t and by compost 5c.

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 According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the storage area 17 is delimited at least in part by the earth on which the composting medium 21 rests. Also, earthworms 22 can be introduced into the composting medium 21 or arrive spontaneously from the earth.

 According to a preferred embodiment, the scraper chain 10b runs at a speed slower than the running speed of the conveyor belt 10a. For example, it can be provided that when the belt 10a moves a few centimeters, for example 2 to 3 cm, the scraper chain 10b moves by a few millimeters or fraction of a millimeter, for example a tenth of a millimeter.

 The second complementary displacement means 10b thus makes it possible to eliminate by evaporation any traces of urine remaining impregnated with faeces and other waste. The installation can also include a ventilation member 23 located above the plate 19. As shown in FIG. 1, the fan 23 is mounted in a duct 24 leading to the outside, for example in the form of a chimney.

 According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the scraper chain 10b also fulfills the function of spreading means 25 of the composting medium 21, by ensuring a relative displacement of the most recent faeces 5 and other waste 6, compared with those transformed into compost 5c. The faeces 5 and other waste 6 fall into a heap in the storage area 17 and contributes to the formation of the composting medium 21. When the heap has reached a sufficient height, the scraper elements 20 located on the lower half of the scraper chain lOb, pushing in their return movement the most recent faecal matter towards the toilet seat 2. By spreading the composting medium, this device increases the quantity of faecal matter and compost stored. As shown in fig. 1, an opening or access hatch 26, situated at the end of the scraper chain 10b, opposite the toilet seat 2, is provided and allows direct access to the oldest faeces and therefore to those in process of transformation or already transformed into compost.

 Another variant not shown is to provide in the storage area 17, a temporary storage area placed near the access hatch 26, in which the

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 composting medium would be brought in manually, at specified periods, for example every five years, pending final withdrawal.

 The toilet cabinet devices according to the invention are characterized by the presence in the storage area 17, of a humidification means.

 The toilets according to the invention are generally intended to be installed in nature, to equip isolated or remote sites from networks and energy sources.

Humidification means using rainwater are therefore preferred to those using electric pumps.

 As shown in fig. 1, the toilet seat 2 is located in a cabin 27 and the storage area 17 is located in a tunnel 28, the upper part 29 of which is provided with passages 30 intended to allow rainwater to pass and thus rewet the environment. composting 21 at each rain. The passages 30 are, for example, in the form of small holes. The upper part of the tunnel can also be covered by earth, to ensure airtightness. If the installation 1 constitutes an airtight enclosure, the air will be permanently sucked in by the fan 23, in particular through the exhaust opening 3, thus eliminating any bad smell in the cabin 27, the renewal air in the tunnel by drawing air from the cabin through the toilet seat.

 According to a particular embodiment, it can be provided that the tunnel 28 includes a means for regulating the amount of rainwater falling on the composting medium 21 and thus avoiding leaching of the composting medium, during too heavy rain. In fact, it is preferable to avoid excess rainwater entering the soil after being contaminated in contact with faeces and contaminating the groundwater.

 An alternative embodiment making it possible to control the amount of rainwater falling on the composting medium is shown in FIG. 5. The means 41 for regulating rainwater 47 is disposed in the storage area 17, under the upper part 29 of the tunnel comprising the passages 30, and consists of a plate 42 provided with holes allowing the water to pass through. of rain, articulated, towards its end 42a situated above a discharge gutter 46, on a fixed horizontal axis 45, and supported, towards its other end 42b situated above the composting medium 21, by one or more floats 43 placed in a storage tank 44, so that when the

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 tank 44 is empty the plate 42 is inclined towards the composting medium 21. Thus, during a heavy rain, the rain 47 falling from the passages 30 on the plate 42, flows onto the plate 42 and falls on the composting medium 21 and re-humidifies and simultaneously the rain 47 crosses the plate and fills the tank 44 in which the float 43 is placed. When the water level in the tank 44 increases, the float 43 rises and thus directs the articulated plate towards the gutter evacuation 46 to which the rainwater is evacuated, thus avoiding the leaching of the composting medium 21. In a period of drought, the water in the tank 44 evaporates, the float 43 descends and then directs the plate 42 towards the composting medium 21.

 In periods of drought, it may also be provided that the water contained in the storage tank 44 is transferred slowly above the composting medium 21, for example, by means of textiles with capillary property and thus allow the rehumidification of the composting 21.

 According to a variant not shown, the water falling during heavy rain can be stored, for example, using a fixed plate or a tarpaulin disposed between the upper part 29 of the tunnel and the scraper chain 10b, and oriented towards a storage tank. , so that the rainwater falling on the plate or the tarpaulin is directed towards the storage tank. This device also makes it possible to protect the complementary means of movement lOb and therefore to avoid rehumidification of the faeces and other waste present on the inclined surface 19.

 In the above example, the displacement means located under the discharge opening 3, called the first displacement means, consists of a conveyor belt 10a. As shown in fig. 3, this displacement means can be produced by a different means, such as a movable scraper 10c mounted on an inclined surface, constituted for example by a metal plate 8b. Insofar as there is no complete seal between the scraper elements and the inclined surface, the interstices thus produced allow the urine to flow downward ensuring the desired separation.

 The movement of the faeces 5 and other waste 6 is ensured by means of at least one movable squeegee 10c coming to settle above the fixed inclined surface 8b. The mobile scraper 10c is carried, at each end, by two endless chains 31.32 mounted between 2 rollers 33.34 and moved in rotation

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 by the rotation control means 13. The mobile squeegee can be moved in a slow or fast advance mode, as defined above.

 According to another variant, the first displacement means can be constituted by a scraper chain comprising a series of scraper elements, as described above.

- l' (es) élément (s) racleur (s) possède (nt) une inclinaison inverse à celle de la surface inclinée et, - une raclette 35 articulée et sollicitée élastiquement soit destinée à être appliquée sur l' (es) élément (s) racleur (s), dans un mouvement de retour, afin de racler ce (s) élément (s) racleur (s). To prevent faeces and other waste from sticking to the scraper element (s), it can be provided as shown in fig. 3 that:

- the scraper element (s) has (s) an inclination opposite to that of the inclined surface and, - a squeegee 35 articulated and resiliently biased is intended to be applied to the element (s) s) scraper (s), in a return movement, in order to scrape this (these) scraper element (s).

 The elastic return of the squeegee 35 is carried out, for example, using a spring or a counterweight.

 The displacement means, namely the conveyor belt 10a, the scraper chain 10b or the movable squeegee 10c can be used interchangeably, alone, or in combination, directly at the outlet of the outlet 3, or as a complementary means.

 Likewise, provision may be made to install, at the output of these displacement means, an independent spreading means 25. According to the variant shown in FIG. 4, this spreading means 25 consists of a scraper chain 36, through which the faeces 5 and other waste 6 fall, at the outlet of the displacement means 10, to form in the storage area, a heap forming part of the composting medium 21.

 This scraper chain 36 is made up of scraper elements 37, for example, in the form of small section tubes or scrapers, carried at each end by 2 endless chains mounted between 3 rollers (38, 39, 40) and moved in rotation , so that the lower part of the chain is tilted.

 Therefore, there is a sufficient suitable distance between the two rollers 39 and 40 from the end of the scraper chain 36 situated towards the displacement means 10.

Thus, when the pile of faeces brought in by the displacement means 10 increases, it is on either side of the lower part of the scraper chain 36.

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The rollers are intended to be rotated to ensure the movement of the chain in the direction f3 facing upwards. This movement is carried out using the control means 13, via a suitable transmission means, so as to ensure an extremely slow advance of the chain of the order of a few tens to a few hundred microns by using the toilets.

 Thus, the most recent faeces and other waste, placed on the inclined lower part of the scraper chain 36 are pushed towards the end of the chain opposite the toilet seat 2, to finally fall into the storage area 17. Thus , the spreading of the composting medium is ensured and its access by the hatch 26 facilitated, thanks to the inclination of the lower part of the scraper chain 36.

Claims (17)

1-Installation (1) of composting toilet comprising: - a toilet seat (2) placed above a gravity discharge opening (3), - a means (8) for receiving liquid effluents (4 ), faeces (5) and other waste (6), placed under the discharge opening (3), making it possible to separate the liquid effluents (4), faeces (5) and other waste (6), - a means (9) for recovering liquid effluents (4), - a means for moving (10) faeces (5) and other waste (6), from the reception area located under the discharge opening ( 3), towards a storage area (17), actuated by a control means (13), characterized in that it comprises in the storage area: 'a composting medium (21) consisting in particular of faeces (5 ) and other waste (6) brought by the displacement means (10), containing earthworms (22) of a variety suitable for the transformation of materials f holds and other compost waste (sic), 'means for humidification for holding wet composting medium (21), other than by a urine intake.  2-Installation (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage area (17) is delimited, at least in part, by the soil on which the composting medium (21) rests.  3-Installation (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises, in the storage area (17), a spreading means (25) of the composting medium (21), intended to ensure a relative displacement of the most recent faeces (5) and other waste (6), compared to that transformed into compost (ploughshare).  4-Installation (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the spreading means (25) consists of an inclined scraper chain (10b) whose scraper elements (20) located on the lower half of the scraper chain push the most recent faecal matter back into the toilet seat (2). <Desc / Clms Page number 12> 5-installation (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the spreading means (25) consists of a scraper chain (36), through which the faeces (6) and other waste (5) fall off, so that the inclined lower part of the chain pushes the latest faeces away from the toilet seat (2).  6-installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the storage area (17) is located in a tunnel (28) whose upper part (29) is provided with passages (30) intended to let rainwater (47) pass and thus moisten the composting medium (21).  7-installation (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the tunnel (28) comprises means (41) for regulating the amount of rainwater falling on the composting medium (21).  8-installation (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the means (41) consists of a plate (42) provided with holes allowing the passage of rainwater (47), articulated, towards its end (42a ) located above a discharge gutter (46), on a fixed horizontal axis (45) and supported, towards its other end (42b) located above the composting medium (21), by one or more floats ( 43) placed in a storage tank (44), so that when the tank (44) is empty the plate (42) is inclined towards the composting medium (21).  9-installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the receiving means (8) consists of an inclined surface (8a) ensuring complete separation by gravity of the liquid effluents (4), d on the one hand, and faeces (5) and other waste (6) on the other.  10-Installation (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the inclined surface (8a) constitutes a part of the means (10) for movement produced by a conveyor belt (lofa).  11-Installation (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the conveyor belt (lofa) is provided with anti-overflow edges (14).  12-installation (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the carpet

 roller (lofa) circulates, in the upper part of its lower end, under fixed baffles (16) letting the liquid effluents (4) pass laterally. <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  13-Installation (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the conveyor belt (lofa) comprises, in the lower part of its upper end, a squeegee (15) intended to remove the faeces ( 5) and other waste (6), glued to the carpet.  14-installation (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the inclined surface (8a) is provided with a displacement means consisting of a movable scraper element (10e), or a scraper chain (10b), comprising a series of scraper elements (20), intended to entrain faeces (5) and other waste (6) towards the storage area (17).  15-Installation (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that: - the Ces) element (s) scraper (s) (10c, 20) has (s) an inclination opposite to that of the inclined surface (8a) and, - a squeegee (35) articulated and resiliently stressed is intended to be applied to the These element (s) scraper (s) (10c, 20), in a return movement, in order to scrape this element (s) (s) scraper (s).  16-installation (1) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that it comprises another means (lOb) of displacement located substantially in line with the high end of the inclined surface (8a) , this displacement means consisting of an inclined surface (8b) on which a scraper chain (10b) circulates.  17-installation (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the scraper chain (lOb) runs with a slower speed than the running speed of the conveyor belt (lofa), so as to eliminate by evaporation any traces of urine remaining impregnated with faeces and other wastes.